Grammy-nominated artist argues the popular music label is more about geography than musical style, citing its fluid and trend-absorbing nature.
In a candid radio interview that challenges conventional wisdom, Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has stirred debate by declaring that Afrobeats is not a true music genre but merely a “label” used to categorize popular music coming out of Africa.
The artist, speaking with The Beat 99.9 FM in Lagos, argued that the term is a generalization used by the industry and lacks the distinct musical characteristics of a genre. He pointed to the constant evolution of trends within the scene, like the recent dominance of Amapiano, as proof.
“I think Afrobeats is more of a title than a genre. You can see Amapiano is the new Afrobeats. It’s the new title, it’s the new thing,” Kuti stated. “Afrobeats is just a generalization; it’s just a title to identify something from a particular place [Africa].”
Kuti further explained that the artists and industry “gatekeepers” themselves don’t treat it as a rigid genre. He noted the versatility of top artists, who fluidly move between dancehall, blues, pop, and whatever sound is trending, all under the Afrobeats umbrella.
“They are [Afrobeats] artists that are eclectic in a way that they could do a dancehall track today, do a blues track tomorrow, do a Nigerian pop sound, jump on Amapiano… So, I think it’s actually a title,” he concluded.
His comments are likely to spark conversation among fans and critics about the true definition of the sound that has taken the global music scene by storm.
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